ICANN needs your comments by Oct 19, 2007

I apologize about this being a little off topic, but this problem clearly affects all of us that have a web hosting and domain business.

As you may know, some domain registrars have started to block domain transfers, if the customer has made ANY changes to their WHOIS contact info, for a period of 60 days.

So, if your customer wants to transfer a domain from Network Solutions or Go Daddy (two of the culprits!), but their Admin Contact e-mail address needs to be fixed first... once they make that change, the domain is held hostage for 60 DAYS! They say this is a "security measure" but in reality, it is a desperate attempt to keep people from leaving their service (in my opinion).

Anyway, ICANN regulations CLEARLY forbid a losing domain registrar from blocking a transfer like this. ICANN has had enough complaints about this tactic that they have created a "Notice of Intent to Issue Advisory Regarding the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy"

You can see it here:

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-19sep07.htm

HERE IS WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need people like you to voice your SUPPORT for this advisory! There have only been 4-5 comments submitted (at the time of this writing) and that is not showing ICANN our support!

According to ICANN: "Interested parties have until 19 October 2007 to submit comments at retransfers-comments@icann.org." -- once you do this, they will review the comments and then post them on their web site.

Please take a moment and tell ICANN about your support of their Advisory.

Thanks!

- Scott